John Bale, Bishop of Ossory

Willem de Passe and Magdalena de Passe

National Gallery of Art

The image depicts a man's portrait showing the upper half of his body. He is posed in a slightly turned stance, looking directly at the viewer. His facial features include a well-defined mustache and short, wavy hair framing his face. He is wearing a detailed, patterned gown with a collar and draped with a sash over his left shoulder. In his left hand, he holds a pair of dividers, pointing them at a globe. The background consists of an intricately hatched oval frame with text surrounding it, and additional writing below the oval.